Any Day Now
by Hope Shalott
Summary: /Poor Jared. He's the only one of them intelligent enough to realise that he's trapped../ An illicit rendezvous between Leah and Jared.


**Title:** Any Day Now

**Summary**: "Poor Jared. He's the only one of them intelligent enough to realise that he's trapped." An illicit rendezvous between Leah and Jared.

**Disclaimer**: Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**Characters: **Leah/Jared, Kim

**Genre: **Hurt/Comfort/Romance/Cosmic Slavery.

**Rating**: Older Teen – Adult

**Warnings:** Mentions of non explicit sex.

**Status**: Completed

**Archiving**: Please PM me

**Inspirations/Dedications:**

**Authors Notes:** There is a strong possibility that I might explore a multi fic with this pairing one day.

* * *

**Any Day Now**

* * *

From her view point, she can see the stars scattered across the inky sky. Her mind focuses on every movement, every thrust. Each switch of strong hips and the ripples of pleasure they send through her.

It's not right, she knows that, but after everything she's been through it's only fair. Her mind flickers to a lonely imprint, sitting at home wondering where her man is. If it didn't feel so good right now she would laugh, but then Jared rolls inside her once more and she can't do anything but gasp. And cling to his broad shoulders. And send up a prayer that it will never end. That somehow, this time will be different and when it's all over, that feeling of fulfilment will never leave, even though she knows it will.

His head drops against her shoulder and she winds her fingers through his shorn hair. Methodically and without much feeling because that is all she has to offer but she knows it helps. She can hear him whisper against her neck.

_I never wanted it. _

And she doesn't know if he's talking about this or something else entirely.

He'll come first because it's been a bad day for him and he doesn't have the energy to try for anything. She knows he will go home to his imprint, make love to his fiancée. Just the way she likes it and the thought makes her smile. It doesn't have to be that way here. She braces herself against his shoulders, settles her bare back against rough tree bark and arches up into him. _Just the way he likes it. _

He shudders against her, not with pleasure but a chill up his spine and she can almost hear each thought as it flickers through his head. Poor Jared. He's the only one of them intelligent enough to realise that he's trapped.

He comes just one second later. Pushing into her, trying to take every bit and iron and air floods her nostrils as the bark scratches against her skin. The quick sting of pain takes her over the edge and she could cry for the fact. She used to get off on being loved, feeling safe, now she's taking it rough, bare ass naked and up against a tree with a guy who she knows is promised to someone else.

But she can tell by the way his hands rake her skin that he still can't get enough. He might not love her but he fucking adores her. Just like every other one of them, so it's good to know that some things never change.

She barely even notices that he has pulled away from her. He's struggling to buckle his belt with shaking hands. When he's done, he tilts his head back and breathes. She sits on the ground. It's damp with rain but she's long past caring. It would take a nuclear explosion to bring her down after that. He sits down beside her, takes her hand. Part one is over. And she braces herself for the encore.

"We're gonna take a trip down to Colorado. Visit Kim's grandparents for the weekend."

She nods, feigns interest. Jared has never been very emotional and she knows it's hard for him to get to the point.

Tonight he needs a little prompting and so she cuts straight through all the bullshit.

"Lee Lee?" she asks. Her question is always the same and his reaction never varies. He drops his head into his hands and she wait for it, the apology that always comes.

_I'm sorry. I was just following orders but if I could take it back, babe...I would. _

But tonight he lifts his head. Looks straight at her, his eyes shining liquid bright. The darkest brown she's ever seen. She thinks the glimmer might be tears but she can't be sure.

"I can't do this anymore, Leah" he says, his voice falling into a whisper on her name.

It's new but not unexpected if she's being completely honest. She's always admired his perspective. It's that moment that she knows she would rather die than imprint. What good comes of it when a grown man, a strong man from a strong line of warriors, is on his knees, crying in the rain?

She goes to him. She doesn't know why. Pack duty? Mothering instinct? Or perhaps a side effect of the connection they reluctantly built between them in three months since their fighting turned into a release of another kind.

She doesn't stroke his hair, or whisper in his ear or anything so romantic. She just puts her arms around him and then she relaxes against his chest as his arms move around her. They sit together in the rain, closer than they ever were just a moment ago. His tears have mingled with rain water and tomorrow he will pretend that they never existed in the first place.

"I don't want to go home," he says with a weary sigh. He looks down at her and she can feel the warmth where his arm rests against her face. "I wish I could stay here all night."

She doesn't say anything back because the look he is giving her is dangerous. She reminds herself that it's nothing. He needs to feel free every once in a while and she needs to know that her anger and bitterness is justified.

He's so goddam beautiful with the rain in his hair and the makings of a grin on his face. His strength is calm and quiet, a force that she or Jacob or even Sam can never understand. Sam tries so hard to project an image that Jared radiates by nature and she can understand why he was chosen as his Beta. For the first time, she realises just how lucky Kim is to have him by her side.

She thinks very carefully before she speaks her next words. She doesn't want him to get the wrong idea about how she feels. She just wants him to be free, to have the things he wants and deserves.

"Have you ever tried?"

He thinks about that for a moment. A long moment. When it passes, he is smiling, his lips curved in a crooked grin. He throws a muscled arm around her shoulder and the way his bicep flexes against her skin has her clawing the ground in an attempt to control herself. He settles back against the tree, heaves a sigh and tips his head so it is resting on hers. A few seconds later, she allows herself to relax and listens only to the steady beat of his heart.

He doesn't make it until morning. Kim calls at 3AM. She's wondering where he is and when he's coming home. Leah holds no grudges. She can see that it bothers him as much as it does her...besides, he's never stayed this long before.

And as a new sun dawns and she drags herself off the ground, she looks back at the spot where they sat together only a few hours ago and thinks that maybe they're getting somewhere after all.

~fin~


End file.
